Rotary engine.



No. 871,322. PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907. J. L. GLAYLAND.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. 1901.

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J. L. GLAYLAND.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AI11.5,1907.

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WITNESSES A TTORNE vs J. L. GLAYLAND. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APILS, 1907.

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B), f/l l J. L. GLAYLAND. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB-5,1907.

A Mme/v5 V5 PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907.

4 SHBBT8-SHBBT 4.

unrrn srarns PATENT: OFEKIQE JAMES LAMBERT CLAYLAND,'OF FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS.

ROTARY ENGINE.-

To allwhom it, may concern:

Beit known th atI, JAMES LAMBERT CLAY- inangiacitizen of the United States, residing atFort Si'nith, in the, county of Sebastian and State 'of -Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Rotary Engine, which the following This invention relates to rotary engines which ay be operated by an explosive comor an expansible fluid of any nature,

"and-is designed principally for use as a ,ro-

'r e n s e hi 1 more a. rotatable element of the engine.

'A still furtherlobject of the'invention is to f pr ovidea' novelform of explosion chamber 1 arranged on the casing of the engine to dis char e approximately tan entially against the b adesof the-piston,.an means adjacent the-explosion chamber for preventing the .diquid'fuel from passing directly into the exhaust, pipe before doing useful work on-the piston. I

A still further object ofthe invention is to ,fprovide a rotary enmne in which a movable T abutmentsupporteclby.thestationary cyhn- -der or casing of the engine is acted upon by the explosive charge in such manner as to be provide a device of this which the expansive yton wing orwith the piston blade or the same forward, after force of the charge is utilized for the further propulsion of the pis-' blade.

A still further object of the invention is to forced into contact blades acting to push measured charge. of explosive compound is forced under pressure into .the explosion chamber through the agency of a rotatable member of the engine;

A still further object of the invention is to provide an'engine in which the exploded gases after exercising direct pressure on the Specificationof Letters Patent. Application filed April 5.1907. Serial No. 366,585.

the construction and class in which a rotatable piston wings or'blades aredirected through discharge pipes or outlets which are so arranged that the force-pf the: Streams of products of combustion: issuing from. said pipes and impactin against the air or apart of the wall of the cy inder .will assistthe Iotative movement of the piston. i

A still further object ot-theinvention is to provide a novel form of pistonand piston wing or blade, in the latter of. which rollers are utilized for engagement with the walls of the expansion or. working chamber,v in. order ,to reduce-frictions a A still further objectof the invention-is to provide an, improved 'means' for preventing "the escape of any material ,portionof the op erating fluid from the expansion-chamber until after its work has been accomplished.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter a pear, the-invention consists inicertain novelfeaturesof,construction and 'arran emerit of partsyhereinafter fully described, illustrated in the'accompanylng drawings, and, particularly pointedout in the appendediclaims,"itabeing understopd that various changes inxthe form, proportions, size and minor idetails.=.of the structure ma v be T fnade without departing from the spirit or sacrificingzanyof the ad' vantages o the inventioni'rw "w;

' In .the, accompanying =drawin'gs cgFigure.

1 is a side elevation of'a rotar "engine. constructed in accordance with t e' invention.

Fig. 2 isa transverse sectional view of thesame on the line 2-.2 ofFig; 1*. 3 ,is a plan view'of the engine-. Fig- 4 is aside elevation of a'portion of the'sameldrawnto an enlarged scale, and showing-the mechanism ,for controlling the inflow'oi' the explosive charge.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional viewof the -mechamsm shown in Fig.4, illustrating,

also, the explosion chamber and'one of the piston wings-or bladesL Fig= 6-.is a transverse sectional view of a portion .Ofxtll working or expansion chamber drawnto an enlarged scale. v trating a chamber of sllghtlymod fied contour in cross section. Fig.:8is aplan .viewof form of piston members. Fig.

thepreierred I p I 9 is a detail plan view of a port onof the devices for preventing the e'sdapeof 'thega'ses or explosive fluid from the viihrki fig'.chaiiiber.

Fig. 10 is a detail elevationftif thehieclianism shown inFlg, 9.

Similar numerals of reference are "em-,

Fig. 7 is a similar wiew'illusr.

each other.

nular passage through which extends a solid rim 6 0,? the piston member, the body of the piston being preferably formed of a plurality of spokes and a central hub.

The piston member carries a plurality of wings or blades, which work in an annular space 7 that is preferably of the approximate elliptic shape shown in Figs. 2 and 6, al-' though it maybe rectangular, as shown in Fig. 7, or of any other desired form, and while any number of blades or wings may be used, it is found that two are sufficient for ordinary purposes, these being preferably disposed at points diametrically opposite Each piston wing is secured to. the rim 6 by a forwardbrace 10 having an angular cam face 11, which is used for the purpose of opening the valves that control the supply of the explosive mixture to the engine. Extending rearward from this brace is a frame 12 in which are mounted a number of rollers 13, 14 and 15 and in the present instance but-three rollers are shown, although the number mav be increased or diminished .as desired. -The rollers 13 and 14 are mountedloosely in the frame which forms the body of, the piston wing and are held outward by bowed springs 17 pivoted on studs 18 and carrying at their free ends small antifriction rollers 20 that engage with the inner portions of the rollers. The struct-ure is such that the rollers 13" or 14 are yieldably held and aremaintained in practically fluid proof contact with the vertical or approximatelv vertical walls of the expansive space, ut owing to the way in which the holding springs are pivoted, 0011'. siderable stress is exerted by said springs in 'forcingthe rollers outward. The rearmost roller 15 is shaped to 'conform to the upper and lower walls of the expansion space, and

when the construction s own in Fig. 6 is employed, the roller has a rounded face tapering gradually from the middle toward both ends. it necessary, an additional number of rollers may-be employed, the rollers in allcasesbeing'so'journaled or mounted as to break joint and prevent, or to a material extent limit; the passage of the expansive fluid employed for propelling purposes.

of any ordinary consuitable apparatus.

In order toprevent the escape of any of the operating fluid from the expansion or working space of the cylinder into that space bounded by the central portions of the heads 2 and 3, a pair of rings 22 are employed, these rings being mounted on the outwardly extending flanges 23 of the heads, and being forcedinward into engagement with the opposite sides of the piston rim 6 by means of a plurality of pivotally mounted weighted levers 24, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This construction, however, is not sufficient to prevent the escape of some portions of the volume of operating fluid, and for-this reason additional closing plates 26 of the charactershown in Figs. 9 and 10 are employed. v

The plates 26 are mounted in opposing pairs on the rings 22, each plate being pivoted on a stud 27, and the edges of the plates of each pair being arranged to spring into and from engagement with each other duringthe passage of the bracezor carrier 10 of the piston wing. It will be." seen on reference to Fig; 9 that the plates are provided with cam faces 30, which, when engaged-by the brace 10,-awill result in the spreading of the plates, while those plates immediately receding will be swung to closed position by lugs 31 disposed at the ends ofthe cam faces and engage such preceding plates, so that during the whole course of travel of the piston wing only a single set of plates will be; spread, the edges of the remaining pair of' plates being in close contact with each other, and serving in connection with the' main rings 22 to prevent thez-lleakage of' the expansive fluid from the working space of the cylinder.

In the wall of the cylinder are arranged explosion chambers 32, two of which are shown in the present instance, although the number may be increased, if desired, and'at one end of the explosion chamber is an igniter 33 which may take the form of an igniting tube, sparking device, or any other The lower wall of the explosion chamber is formed of an abut-- ment 34 which is movable between the dotted and the full line positionsshown in Fig. 5, as the result of the ignition of an explosive charge, and when moved to the full.

line position the abutment serves the func tion of the abutment of an ordinary form of rotary engine, that is to say, the. static ary wall of the expansion chamber, the piston wing forming the opposite or movable wall of such chamber. The abutment is. mounted on a hollow stem 35 through which water may be circulated for cooling purposes, and projecting beyond tile pivot is a wing- 36 that is arranged to move into a dash ot OF'CLISlIlOIIlIIg space 37 which is intem ed merely for the urpose of preventing abrupt movement of the abutment and .30-nection '52 withthe block moves outward, the piston Wlll be de-' pressed and the explosivecharge previously 4o pipe 54, and the su possible breakage of the same from violent contact wlth the inner Wall of the expansion chamber as sald abutment is drawn inward under the influence of 'an explosive charge.

Above the explosion chamber is a valve casing 40, the upper end; of which commum cates with a measuring chamber in the form.

of acylinder 41, and from the lower end of the-c'asing leads a"port' 4'2 to the explosion -10, chambei'." In this casing is mounted a port-.

ed valve 43, to the stem of which is-secured a "pair .of arms 44, that are connected by links tothe bifurcated end of a lever 46 that is 20, comes into engagement with the block, the

latter w1ll be moved out of the cylinder, and

the valve will be moved through the described connections to place the/measuring chamber 41 in communication with the,

25 explosion chamber 32.

Arranged in the measuring chamber 41 is a .piston. 50 that is connected to one end of a lever 51 fulcrumed on the standard 47. The opposite endof the lever 51 has a linked conblock 48, and as said .,mtroduced-into the measuring chamber will be forced out of said chamber through the 35 valve casing and into the explosion chamber. The. supply of explosive compound in the nature of gas, carbureted air, or any form of hydrocarbon,.alcohol, or the like, enters the measuring chamber 4] through a valved ply is drawn into the chamber during the ascending movement of the piston. As the piston rises, a flap valve 55 in its lower face will open, allowing the .1 l I I chargeio flow th ough a-port in the piston to the .lower' end of the measuring chamber, so that a fresh charge will be in readiness to be injected.

{The products of combustion. or other'opcrating fluid escape through exhaust ipes to a' stationary casing 61 at'the hu of the head 3 of the cylinder, and are subsequently issued to assist in propelling the 'piston.

The abutment'34 is free to rise when it is engaged by the cam 11 of the bracket 10, the pivot'35 of said abutment carrying an arm 62 i at the. outer end of which is a pin 63, said pin I. entering a slot 64 in a link 65 that is hungfrom an arm 66 that forms a ater the lever and slot connection permitting 60 movement of the abutment from the full line to the dotted line position shown in Fig.- any movement of the 5 without effecting w-Q lvalve, but if the valve" has been moved to 0 en sition the linked connection'will'hold' 65 t ea ut-ment up after the piston has passed close of t 1e pipes 67 that .as;the .gases issue to such position as to no longer form. a sup port. ,I

In the operation of the partsasth' s far described, the projecting iston l' engage the abutment 34, w e the latter s'fin the full line position shown in Fig. 5 and will move the same up to the dotted line positron in Fig. 5.. Then as the piston wing continues to travel, the cam 11 will engagethe block 48 and shiftthepos'ition of the'valve 43, opening the latter and causing thep'iston' 50 to descend, so that themeasured charge of exrilosive compound'i's'forced into the now explosion chamber. At ythis'time the extreme rear endof the piston wing represented by the rear face of the roller 15 has ndt, assed wholly beyond the free-end of'the abutment, and as soon as the explosion occurs, the abutment will be'forced down very rapidly, and its free edge will engage against the periphery of the roller, forcing the same forward, and" after this fpurel mechanical thrust, the a'butment moves own into'engagement with the inner wall fofthe working space of the cylinder; During this'inovement of the abutment, the wing. 36 is cpshi'oned in the dash pot 37, and any abrupt movement,

such as would tend to destroy'the abutment,

is prevented. The piston win'g has now passed a slight distance away from the: forwardedge of the abutment, and the exploded charge 1 confined between the wing and the abutment will. expand, and in expanding will force the piston to continue-its-cours e, the products of combustion finally. escaping through the pipe 60.

' All of the products of combustionareconducted to the stationarycasin .16, said casing being substantially. cylin ricaLin-formand having a stationary head-65 which may be provided with a stufiingboxforthe-passage of the shaft 3'. The'opposite head 66 of this casing is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to, and rotateswith the shaft, and. projecting from-this head or disk fifieare a number of pipes $57 which cross theplane of the piston 4, and are arranged in such manner as to form a reaction engine, the products .of combustion impinging against the air I within the hollow cylinder b0dy,-.-and to a considerable extent assisting in imparting rotativemovement to the piston.

. As there is some danger of the-body of air within the central portion of'the cylinder being set into motion, and, therefore, minimizing the effect of the esca inggases the cylinder head 2 is provided with a arge number of'escape ports 68, and these are arran ed at such an angle to the discharge ends s d pipes 67-they will impinge against the ends of the esca e ports or pipes, and the working force w' 1 be increased to alconsid- V erabic extent. b

As blfore observed, the number of explo from'..125

sion chambers, piston wings, and abntments may be increased to any desired extent, and the number of'rollers employedon the 'pis-- ton wings may be altered, or the precise contour of the working space of the cylinder may be changed without departing fromthe invention. I

-Iclaim: v Y

1. In a rotary explosion engine, a cylinder, a piston arranged therein and provided-with a projeotingwing, a movable-abutment, and means for introducing and discharging an ex-v piosive charge outside the abutment, the latter acting' by impact on the projecting piston wing to effect rotaltive movement-of th piston-Q v 1 2. in a rotary explosion engine, a cylinder having an explosion space or chamber, in one wall thereof, a swinging abutment movable into and from the chamber, a revoluble piston having,- a projecting wing, 'on which the abutment acts by impact, and meansfor introducing an explosive charge into such,

chamber.

3. In a rotary having an explosion chamber in one wall thereof, a swinging abutment movable into such chamber, a revoluble piston, and a piston wing including a roller on which the abut- 'ment acts by impactto effectrotative Irrevement of the piston. y

4. In a rotary. explosion engine, acylinder having an ex losion chamber, and provided with an arm ar expansion or working space, a swinging abutment movable into and from the'chamber, and arevoluble piston having a projecting Wing against which the abutment acts by impact on the initial explosion, the abutment thereafter serving as the stationmy wall of the expansion space. Y

5. Ina rotary explosion engine, a cylinder having/an explosion chamber, a swinging abutment, movable into and from said chamber, said abutment having a PI'OJGC'UHg wing,

a dash p ot= pocket into which said wing may move, a revoluble; piston, and a wing carried by the piston and against which the-abutmerit acts o-n its initial movement, the'ab'utmerit thereafter serving as the stationary wall of-anexpansion spacew- '6. In a rotary explosionengine,- a cylinder having; an explosion chamber, and-an expansi pace, a=' pivotally mounted abutmentih'ovable'between said chamber and expansion space,a revoluble pistonfa piston wing carried there by and having a cam shaped forward end, a cam block against whichthe'pis ton wing acts, and an'inlet valve for the spiosivecharge, said valve being connected to "Said cam block.

. "7. In a rotary explosion engine. a cylinder havingan explosion chamber Jand an annular expansion space, a pivotall y mounted abutment movable between the chamber and the explosion space, a revoluble piston, a pisexplosinn engine, a cylinder s'rnssa '7 ton wing carried thereby and having a cam shaped forward end, a cam block on which I the piston wing acts, and a pumping means tor torcing the explosive charge ,into the -l ar expansion space, an abutment movable between said chamber and expa-nsion'space,

thereby and having a cam shaped forward end, a cam clock on which the wing-acts, a measuring chamber for the explosive cha'r e,

.a piston for forcing the-charge from tie measuring chan'iber to the explosion chain" va revoluble piston, a piston-wingasupported= her, a valve between the; two chambers,- and means operatively connecting bothfthe piston and the valve to the cam block; r

9. In a rotary explosionengine, a cylinder having an explosion chamber, a" pivotally mounted abutment movable. between the" chamber and the expansion space, a.rev0lu bl episto u, a piston wing carried thereby, a cam block with which the piston wing engages, a-

measuring Chamber for the explosive charge, p a piston arranged in the measuring chamber,

a valve between themeasuring chamber and explosion chamber} a series of levers'and link connections between the piston, the valve, and the cam block, and a loose'connection" arranr ed between the valve and the pivoted abutlilent.

'10. In a rotary engine, a hollow cylinder member having a lurality of exhaust ports formed in one hea thereof, a rcvoluble pis ton, apistou wing, means i'or directing an operating fluid against the pistoniwing, an

exhaust receiving chamber to which the ex-' haust fluid is conducted, one of the heads of said chamber being revoluble'with the pis' ton, and a plurality of exhaust pipes carried by the head4anl arranged to direct the streams'of exhaust fluid against said exhaust ports- T i 11. In ,a rotary engine, a cylinder having an annular expansion space, a revolublepiston having a 'rimprojecting into such expana pair ofpacking rings forming the inner Wall sion space, a'piston wing carried by said'rim,

of the expansion'space, and means for forcing "saidpacking rings into enga ement with the opposite sides of the piston rim,

.12. The combination with a"cylinder'having an annular expansion space "and prbvided with a narrmv circumferential slot connecting the interior oithe' cylinder with the'expans-ion space, a rovoluble piston'having its rim fittin'g wit'hin said slot, and packing rings arranged in said expansion space and engaging the opposite sides of said rim.

13. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having an annular expansion space, a revoluble piston having apiston wing, a brace or carrier connecting the piston to the wing, and a pluralit y of pairs of overlapping cam plates with which such brace consecutively engages, said plates serving to cut oil' communication he tween the expansion space and the interior of the cylinder both in advance and inthe rear of the piston. wing.

14. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having an annular expansion space, a piston, a piston wing, a brace or carrier connecting the piston to the wing, the cylinder having a narrow annular slot through which said brace extends, and a plurality of overlapping cam plates arranged in a continuous annular series within the expansion space, said plates serving to out off communication between the expansion space and the interior of the cylinder both in advance and in the rear of the piston wing.

15. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having an annular expansion space, a revoluble piston, and a piston wing carried thereby, said piston wing including a plurality of rollers arranged to engage the walls of the expansion space, and yieldahle supports on which said rollers are mounted.

16. In piston wing construction, a frame, a plurality of rollers, the axes of which are disposed at angles to each other, 'saidrollers being arranged to engage with the walls of the expansion space, and spring mounted rollers serving as anti-friction supports for those piston rollers which engage with the side walls of the expansion space.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES LAMBERT (LAYLAND Witnesses:

VICTOR ANDERSON, JOHN P. :KEXNEDY. 

